Question

Climate change has resulted in the outbreak of infectious diseases especially vector-borne diseases around the globe, discuss. (use at least two specific examples)

Arsenic in drinking water is bad, discuss.

Answer 1

The simplest linkage between vector-borne diseases and climate are through these factors:

• Temperature (Determines the growth and survival of the pathogens)
• Reproductive rates of the vectors (Indicates the multiplication of the microbes)
• Development rates of the pathogens
• Precipitation (Transmission of diseases by vectors that possess an aquatic developmental stage for eg. mosquitoes)
• Humidity( diseases transmitted by vectors for eg. ticks )
• Changes in the adaptations of the pathogens due to climate change

Emerging infectious diseases are those infections that have a new origin in a population, or are quickly increasing in incidence. Typically, these are caused by animals (60-70%) and the causative agent can be a newly appeared pathogen)

Reemerging diseases are those infections that again appears in the population after a short phase of disappearance in a population. (Such as Dengue, plague, yellow fever)

Arsenic in drinking water affects the body

1.Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water can cause( cancer in the skin, lungs,   bladder and kidney.)

2. skin changes such as thickening and pigmentation

3. Arsenic is highly toxic in its inorganic form.

4. vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea